Curling-iron plug



F F. FORSHEE CURLING IRON PLUG Filed June 3. 1921 Nov. 16 A1926.1,606,832

INVENTOR v j/M ATITORNEY Patented Nov. Y16, 1926.

UNITED STATES incassa PATENT erica.

FRANK F. FESI'IEE, OF FLINT, "MICHIGAN, ASSIGNR, 'BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,TO

WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC 8c MANUFACTURING, COI'vIEANY, 0F PENNSYLVANIA, ACORIORATION OF ENNSYLVANIA.

EAST PITTSBURGH,

oURLING-Inon PLUG.

Application filed .Tune 3,

My invention relates to electricallyheated devices and particularly toelectrically heated curling irons and it has for 4one of its objects toprovide a quickly detachable plug connector for use in curling irons andthe like, which shall be simple and durable and which shall embody arelatively small numf ber of parts.

Another object is to provide a plug connector of the above indicatedcharacter which shall operate as a swivel plug connector. f

In practicing my invention, I provide a tubular casing of insulatingmaterial which has an axial opening therethrough of varying diameter. Iprovide a tubular insulating member which is adapted to be located inthe axial opening of the tubular casing and mount inside of the tubularmember a tubular resilient contact member which is adapted to beoperatively engaged by a screw to which one conductor of the usualsupply circuit may be connected.

`I provide a pair of elongated, substantially fiat resilient contactmembers which are located on the outside of the tubular insulatingmember and are clamped thereon and maintained at their outer ends inoppositely spaced relation by means of a ringshaped member placedtherearound intermediate their ends. A circumferential groove isprovided around the tubular member located substantially beneath thering-shaped clamping member to permit of resiliently clamping theelongated contact members of the tubular member.

One of the contact members clamped on the tubular insulating member hasan integral longitudinal extension to. which the other supply-circuitconductor may be connected. Y

I provide a loosely wound helicalspring having an inner end turn oflarger diameter than the other turns, surrounding the supply-circuitconductors immediately adjacent the outer end of the 'plug connector. Iprovide a cap, having an axial opening therethrough of a diameter topermit it to surround the helical spring and adapted, atits innersurface, to engage the enlarged end turn hereinbefore described,.hymeans of 1921. Serial No. 474,730.

which the contact terminal structure is maintained in substantially itsoperative position in the axial opening in the tubular casing.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings:

Iigure l is a. view, partially in side elevation and partiallyin`section,'of thevhandle' portion of an electrically heated curlingiron, comprising the device embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view,` in lateral cross section,on the line II-II of Fig. l,and

Fig. 3 is a view, in lateral cross section, on the line III-III of Fig.l.

An electrically heated curling iron 1 comprises the usual tubular member9. and a handle member 3, suitably secured thereto. The outer end of thehandle 3 is provided with an axial opening e into which extend the usualcontact members 5 and 6 of the electrical heating element (not shown).The two contact members are concentric and are insulated from each otherby means of a tubular insulating member 7.

A plug connector 8, comprises a molded tubular casingl through whichextends an axial opening of relatively large diameter at one end'and ofrelatively small diameter atthe other end.V The inner' end of thetubular casing 9 has a'reduced outer diameter to permit of introducingit into the axial opening 4 in the handle member.

A tubular insulating member l0 is located substantially central of thelength of the casing 9 and is provided with an axial open-- ing l1, ofcircular cross section, extending therethrough. The diameter of theopening l1 is larger at its inner end than at its outer end, to providea shoulder against which the outer end of a tubular contact member fits.The contact member 12 is held in its operative position by means of ascrew 13 engaging a threaded outer end portion thereof. The inner endportion may be slotted, as illustrated in Fig. 2.

A plurality of resilient elongated longitudinally extending andoppositely spaced contact members 14C and 15 .are located on the outersurface of the tubular member 10.

:The members 14 and-'15 are of arcuate form, in lateral crosssection, toconform to the outer surface of the tubular member on which they arelocated. The member 14 eX- tends outwardly only to the outer end of themember 10, While the member -15 has'an integraloutvvard turned-overextension 16 to provide sufficient thickness of material to mount athreaded connecting lscrew 17 therein.

The inner ends of the members 14 and 15 are bent inwardly tosubstantially V-shape to provide, in effect, a resilient notch whichengages a circumferential groove provided in the Contact member 6 toproperly .conduct current thereto, as Well as to maintain the plugconnector in its operativeposition, substantially as illustrated'in Fig.1.

In order tomaintain the members 14 and 15 in their proper operativepositions on the member 10, I provide a ring member'18 located 4adjacentone end of the Atubular member and immediately over a vcircumferentialvgroove 19 Lprovided in the said tubular member. The dimensions andcontour of the ring member 18 are such, that, in cooperation with thegroove 19, the members 14 and are resiliently clamped on the member 10.

The usual supply-circuit conductors 2O and 21'are provided, one of whichhas its end securedunder the screw 17 to electrically engage the contactmember 15 and the other of which has its end secured under the head ofthe screw 13, thus operatively engaging the tubular contact member 12.

In order to protect the supply-circuit conductors 2O and 21 against theinjurious etfcct of repeated bending, I provide a helically Woundspringv member 22 having an inner diameter oil helix sufficiently largeto permit of passinev the braided supply circuit conductors 20 and 21therethrough. The spring member '22 is provided with an inner end turnof larger diameter than the others which is adapted to press against theouter fiat surface 01"' an insulating Washer 23 through which thesupply-circuit conductors 2O and 21 pass.

A cap member 24 has an axial opening 25 therethrough ot a diametersufficient to permit ol' locating the helical spring member 22 therein,the inner recessed surface of the cap member being adapted to engagemember 10, the contactmember 12 located therein and the contact members14 and 15 mounted thereon from moving longitudinally in an outwardlydirection. The location of the clamping ring 18 on the tubular member 10and its longitudinal dimensions are such that, when the contact-terminalstructure hereinbet'ore described is in its proper operative position inthe tubular casing 9, the inner edge of the clamping ring 18 engages ashoulder 27 provided for that purpose in the axial opening in thetubular casng 9.

It may be noted that the device embodying my v'invention comprises acurling-ironplug connector comprising relatively fe-W and simple partsin which the casing mem-v bers may be made of molded material. The innerconstruction is 'such that proper operative relation of 'theparts to`each other is maintained :Without the use 'of any parts other than thecontact members themselves.

The device embodying my invention provides a sWiveling type of plugconnector which may be easily and quickly removed and inserted in itsoperative location in the handle member of the curling iron. As thecontact members are located substantially concentrically and, as thetubular casing extends beyond the elongated members to Vproperly protectthe same, there is no danger of the operator experiencing a shock Whilehandling the plug.

Various modifications may be made in the device embodying my inventionWithout departing from the spirit and scope thereof and I desire thatonly such limitations .shall be placed thereon as are imposed by theprior art orare specifically set forth inthe appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A connecting plug for an electrically heated implement comprising acylindrical insulating member having .a circumferential groove nearone=end and an axial opening of varying diameter therethrough, a tubularcontact terminal located in said axial opening,a pair ot elongatedoppositely spaced contact members located on said cylindrical insulatingmember, a ring located outside 'of said spaced contact members over saidcircumferential groove to resiliently clamp said members to lsaidcylindrical member, supply circuit conductors, a single means forsecuring said tubular contact terminal in said insulating member yandfor connecting one of said supply circuit conductors thereto, aninsulating casing surrounding `all of said parts and means encirclingsaid supply circuit conductors and `operatively secured to said .casingfor maintaining all of said 'parts ltheir .operative positions ,in 'saidcasing.

.2. A connecting plug for `an .electrically La submaritially cylindricalinsulating easing having an axial opening of varying diameter eX-tending therethrough, a tubular insulating member, a plurality oflongitudinally eX- tending elongated Contact members located on saidtubular member, and a clamping ring adapted to maintain said elongatedContact members 1n their operative position on said tubular member andto (zo-operate with said easing to prevent longitudinal 10 movement ofsaid tubularv member and said Contact members in one directionrelatively to said easing.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23 day oiMay, 15

FRANK F. FORSHEE.

